VW Jetta Sportwagen

Comments

the turn signals on my 2006 jetta tdi used to stay on for 5 or six 'clicks' when it was depressed just long enough to engage the signal (i.e. signaling for a lane change). for some reason that feature doesn't work anymore. has anyone else had this problem?

I have had the exact same problem. The dealer has spent a lot of time hunting for the source. The vehicle is there now getting the fuel line recall performed which adds buffering to the fuel lines to stop the vibrations. I'm hopeful this finally solves the rattle.

I bought a 2012 TDI Sportwagon a month ago. The first day I drove it, and noticed that the temperture control did not remember the setting the next morning.

I live in cold area, and normally turn the heating level all the way up leave it there. In the morning, I start up the car and let it warm up, but this car's heater will never get warm up inside car unless, first I have to turn on the fan and turn the heater, or tempurature control nob all the way down and up and again for it to get warm.

Not only that, sometimes I drive and the inside the car gets hot, so I turn off the fan and only let the fresh air come in from the outside, for a while, there is no heat. Again, I have to do the same like I mention above, in order to get heat inside the car. I don't know if this is a flaw in the design or something wrong with the car. I called the customer car at VW, the person on the phone could not tell anything. I haven't talked to the dealer where I bought the car yet. I try to get some information about the problem before I talk to them.

If anyone knows or had the same problem please let me know. If it is the way it was design, that would be so inconvenient. I wanted to install a remote starter to warm up the car in the winter, but this is not going to work. Many thanks in advance for any in put or information.

Congratulations on your new TDI , I bet it is a blast to drive. That's the way to warm it up too , to drive it... But of course, driving with a frosted window (or a pile of snow on the roof) is ill-advised and illegal.

VW has included an electric heater for defrosting the windshield - it will turn on when outside temp is >80 - also it may be mandatory and/or wise to use 100% defrost position if any frost on windows. It does not get super warm but it does defrost enough of the window within a couple minutes.

The temperature control (digital controls as well as manual, if available) *should* remember the heat setting, the number dialed into the electronic control. If it does not remember, then it is broken and dealership will fix it, end of story, no wiggle-room. However the other aspects you describe are not really fixable, they are design aspects as you astutely suspected; they are the same reason the vehicle gets fantastic mpg.

My experience is with 4 TDIs from 2003 -> 2006. I understand the new ones are similar in with regard to HEAT IN THE CABIN or LACK THEREOF at crucial times such as mornings when my driveway was actually colder than the day's high-temperature on Mars.

In super-cold climates, my jetta/NB/jetta-wagon would NOT warm up without driving it a *bunch* and HAMMERING IT on the highway. That happens to exactly fit my driving style, but my TDIs remained amazingly slooooow to warm up. Advice: Do not over-rev but keep the engine in a lower gear if you must to keep it warming better. Turn on every heating element. Crank rap music with the bass turned all the way up. Do whatever it takes to draw current and make the engine/alternator work. But don't max the fan too soon! The defroster-electric-heater has massive current draw too - it will run automatically with controls as above, until coolant reaches certain temp.

My 2005 Passat TDI was heavier/bigger-engine and warmed up a bit quicker. 10 minutes instead of 15. Either not quick enough for my preference. It will cool down in cold weather idling in traffic. This is a fact of the diesel engine's efficiency, less "waste heat". Also you have observed correctly that in frigid weather the only way to get the engine to warm up a *little* at idle is to turn on every electrical accessory, especially every heating element, and to ensure the built-in electric heater is operating (put temp knob >80 , defrost-only position if any frost on windshield).

Especially without a garage, a diesel engine in cold climate can be troublesome and cost you time every morning morning. And the bunwarmer "option" in the seat is not truly optional in cold climates. It's good to have, but in the end it can results in part of body being way too hot and other parts being way too cold.

There are electric oilpan & other heaters that can pre-warm the oil/coolant/block. One type is a "dipstick heater". I think can be added without much trouble but not sure of dealer warranty. And not sure if running a 3prong heavy duty extension cord is your idea of fun. Costs more time and PITA. But if you google to fred's tdi club you can read about the heater options.

After 400k on diesels, none with add-on heaters, I do appreciate the heat now by driving gasser Cruze 6-spd in winter... So one of the best things about it has just the right amount of 'inefficiency' which gives it a "lousy" 34 mpg instead of 44 mpg (or more) for a TDI. Yet still strong enough (barely) for real highway acceleration & speeds. It is warm in less than 2 miles of rural road on my commute - miles before I reach highway. With the TDIs, they would not get *hot* until >10 minutes of highway driving the highway. On the coldest days it would take TDI 15 minutes or more of highway driving to get to full/optimal engine temp. Noticeably worse mpg at the cooler engine temps too... But always way better mpg than the similar gasoline vehicle.

Thank you for your advice and very detail explaination. I think my heating control is broken. It does not remember the setting when the fan turn off for awhile. I will need to bring it to the dealer. Other than that, the car runs fantastic. This is my first diesel car, and I can hardly tell it is diesel. It runs very much like the gas engine with 50 mpg on the high way. Thanks again for your help. Have a very Merry Christmas.

Thanks Tung and you are very welcome - Merry Christmas! I hope the warranty service is top-notch like the local VW dealership to me. Let us know your results and enjoy that 50 mpg. To find some warmth, you can drive from Boston to Jacksonville with just ONE refueling like I did *many* times in a VW TDI.

I just purchased a 2012 TDI Jetta Sportwagen and so far I'm in love with it. First time I've had heated seats in a car. Such a relaxing feature after a day at work. I switched from Liberty Mutual auto insurance after they quoted me $117 per month, an increase of $35 a month on the 2005 Sienna/2000 Impreza combo we were insuring. There was no other explanation than minivans are cheaper to insure than cars. That's after I got a booklet from Liberty saying that the Jetta has an overall better safety rating than my Sienna did. HMMM. Anyway I hooked up with Geico, monthly payments will be less than half of Liberty's. They had a really cheap add on for Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI). Now I'm wondering if I should cancel the extended warranty to 7 years 100,000, I bought for just over $2,000. Anybody have thoughts on this? The MBI coverage is only about $34 a year extra with a $250 deductible. Bumper to bumper coverage on anything but routine maintenance.

Now I'm just hoping that taking the rear wheel off our tandem bicycle to fit inside the Jetta won't be too much of a pain. Hoping to avoid that roof rack transport.

If I were you, I would not pay for the extended warranty. The warranty is just a peace of mind. Extended warranty is up the person. Sometimes, you feel safe because you have the warranty. If they sold me the extended warranty on top of the manufacture warranty then I would buy it. You see the first 36 months is already covered by manufacture warranty. If something goes wrong with the car the first year or so you would know it.

About the safety, I can tell with my personal experience. I like mentioned at the top of this thread. I bought the 2012 Jetta Sportwage TDI. Well, about 3 weeks ago, someone rear ended to my new car at the speed, probably 50 mph. Totally damaged the back of the car all the way to back seats. My two sons sat in the back seats. They were ok without getting killed. The car absorbed most of the impact energy. We were very lucky that we didn't get killed by the accident. The vehicle that hit my car was toyota 4 runner. So, my new car is now being repaired. I will be driving a new car with a history of accident. I don't like it when I think about it. Enjoy your new car. It is a very well built car, and good luck.

It is wonderful. On rainy days it makes the interior of the car light and Cherry.My wife does not like strong sun so the automatic sun screen is marvelous.It reminds me of the 21 window VW Bus of the 1969 but the TDI has VAROOM!! I bought standard cross bars online Rack.com 69.00 I carry my Kayak and my Sea Snark on top no problem. It nice to look up and check.

Go to your VW Dealer ,GET the TDI. I am of the opinion b/c gas is hard to comeby the GAS station are blending the gas and getting lower MPG. If you keep the Car invest in a set of Nokian Entyres these are quiet and improved my MPG by 10 MPG no joke. If you drive SNOW get the WR.

I live in Newport Beach Ca I drive 7 hours to Tempe AZ to visit my daughter.I can make it on 3/4 of a tank. I drive using cruise control at 65 MPH. I also installed Nokian Entyres the give me a additional 10 MPG. My car has 26,000miles on it oh what I ride . Don't you love the radio with the flash drive slot.How about the 110 outlet.

This is not TRUE. FIRST move the front seats all the way forward. Then releasethe back seat split fold them down with the HEAD RESTS still attached. Move the front seats where you like them. You can store stuff in one hidden chamber and one just above the tire. You can put 8 foot surfboard and a angle.

In my youth Diesel was far cheaper that GAS. When this economy comes back gas will be more than Diesel. Gas in Santa Domingo is 10.00 per gallon diesel is cheaper. Get ready America. Diesel has other features God Forbid a crash happens gas catches fire easily Diesel does not. Now in Newport Beach Diesel\is priced the same as mid grade Gas. Get the TDI you be driving it for the next 10 years.

I used to be a outside sales for Xerox I put 50,000 miles on a Car. I wish somebody offered something back then like the TDI. I had four kids so the Oldsmobile Station Wagon was my choice MPG was maybe 13 MPG but gas was 50 cents a gallon. The TDI on cruise control is 50+ MPG even though your not paying it your manager might keep you if you spend less. In addition VWTDI has a great crash test rating. Gas can catch on fire easier than Diesel.Obviously Diesel is no problem on the HWY because all the Trucks use it. Yourteenage daughter that needs to charge her cell phone will love the 110 outlet.You can shave with your electric shaver or the wife can blow dry her hair afterthat impromptu swim in the lake etc on your next road trip. At XMAS the tree fits in the wagon.

gggeeeooo, VW probably *did* offer you the Diesel Dasher (!) back around the time when you were an outside sales rep for xerox in your 13 mpg oldsmobile ! (1980s?). or if it was the 1970s, there was always the microbus :} .

TDIs are great for driving 50k per year - I can vouch for that - saved me thousands in fuel costs yearly for a decade or so...

Another solution is to wipe the headrest posts with a paper towel soaked in WD-40. The posts are tight when new, and the WD-40 loosens them up so they slide up and down easily. I carry a small screwdriver (smaller than the one in the VW tool kit) in the glove box for occasions when I want to fold the seats flat. I just stick the screwdriver in the release slot (it stays there without holding it) and pull out the headrest. It also makes it easier for rear seat passengers to adjust the headrests.

My experience is that the VW FWD TDI's with ESP and studless winter tires are superior to AWD rigs with all season or mud and snow tires on ice and snow. In the past eight years my greatest challenges driving Cascade Mountain passes in blizzards has been getting around the AWD and 4WD SUV's and crossovers that get stuck going uphill or end up in the middle of the road after spinning out. Studless winter tires mounted on winter steel wheels are less expensive than an AWD option, and the FWD versions of almost all models get better fuel mileage than the AWD versions year around. Of course, an AWD rig with studless winter tires and traction control and stability control would be optimal for winter conditions. But who drives in snow and ice all year long? We've owned two 4WD SUV's with stock all season tires, and I would chose any of the 3 VW TDI's we have owned over either SUV in a blizzard. I have chosen to invest in the studless winter tires for traction in the winter and still benefit from the better fuel mileage throughout the year. I have driven Audi Quattro's, and I appreciate the improved handling AWD provides on most road conditions, but I don't drive that aggressively anymore. By the way, before the advent of traction control and stability control, FWD Audi's were found to outperform AWD Audi's in cornering and braking on ice. The Quattro's were better at accelerating and hill climbing on ice. Would I trade our Jetta TDI Sportwagen for an AWD version if VW made it? Nope.

I concur. I have studless snows for all three of my vehicles and much prefer it to AWD with regular all seasons.

It is amazing how few people realize that for every uphill there is a down hill and for every acceleration there is a deceleration. AWD does nothing for you most of the time. On top of that not being able to stop is much worse than not being able to go. 4 snow tires help you all of the time, not just some of the time.

Of course if you run snows with awd you have the total package - congrats. I would still prefer fwd for the added economy.

If the roads are icy, the only thing that helps is knowing how to drive on it. Those Alaska troopers seem to do fine with rwd and snow tires. Skill, technique and experience are a factor few factor into the equation , hence all those awds' in the ditch.

So, just to clarify. Are you comfortable driving a FWD with snow tires in Vermont? As comfortable as you would be in a Subaru? I live in CT where we get a considerable amount of snow though not as much as you do. I also have a 1,000 foot driveway.

You asked "Are you comfortable driving a FWD with snow tires in Vermont? "

ABSOLUTELY comfortable! (even without "snow" tires) I learned how to drive on snow-covered roads. I taught my kids to drive on the snow by FORCING them to slide around in empty parking-lots. (I would grab the parking-brake and then let them recover the skid) They have since thanked me several times when they found themselves sliding and knew EXACTLY what to do without any fear.

My *only* fear on snow-covered roads is out-of-staters who have no clue what they are doing and tend to slide into other cars.

I will say that the ESP on my VW almost makes snow-driving not fun because it will not slide sideways. The ESP is uncanny at keeping the vehicle from getting into a slide.

The EDL system will apply brakes to the wheel which is trying to spin. This forces the torque to the OTHER wheel.

If that does not work, The ASR will cut the throttle to keep the tires from spinning.

I can attest that all these fancy systems work together to make driving a FWD VW in the snow very mundane and uneventful. I can dump the clutch and mash the throttle... and the vehicle will simply pull away from a stop smoothly with no spinning of the front wheels...and in s STRAIGHT line.

Just bought a 2013 JSW TDI. My 1st diesel & so far very impressed. Apparently, not allowed to tow anything with the DSG tranny ( although I read that's somewhat bogus, as it's allowed on the same cars sold in Europe ). Planning a trip, so plan to use one of those cargo carriers on the roof rack. VW locally wants about $350 just for the two cross bars that attach to the rails. That seems a bit steep to me. Has anybody tried any aftermarket crossbars they're either happy or unhappy with? I can't seem to find many reviews on these things online.

You can probably google the crossbars and get a less expensive model. Be aware that the load on the roof can seriously affect stability and handling on the interstate. Passing trucks and crosswinds can make things real uncomfortable. I speak from experience using one on a vw golf. They do have light weight trailers that can handle a lot of gear --- that might be an option -- or rent a minivan or pack real light.